Stalls & Staircases
by hannerman
Summary: After spending its whole life hidden on the 3rd floor, "Fluffy" is finally getting a taste of freedom and finds himself in an unlikely friendship following a visit to a 2nd floor bathroom.    Rated T because I don't know what'll happen in the future...
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is just a bit of fun, the idea came to me during a brain melting Harry Potter marathon. I don't own or claim to own any of these characters, settings, etc...  
>Set in the summer following the Philosopher's Stone and follows a "Fluffy"Myrtle friendship, AU. I don't know if I'll even continue with this, or how long it'll end up being. Thanks in advance to all those reading this, please let me know what you think.**

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><p>"<em>So we'll be taking a shrinking solution and what else?"<em>

"_Severus has researched into the potion that combined the three of you to begin with, and he was able to work up an antidote to its effects."_

"_Are you sure this will work on us?"_

"_Every step has been taken to ensure that the potions are canine friendly; they will work as well on you as they would on me. You have my word."_

"_Okay. When will they be ready?"_

"_They should be finishing their final stages of brewing now. I'll come back in a few hours and you can take them."_

"_Thank you."_

They nodded at each other and Professor McGonagall gave a soft reassuring mew before exiting the room through an open window. She always found it much easier to get around as a cat, and found it particularly enjoyable to scale the old structure of the Hogwarts Castle when possible.  
>They sat themselves down on the cold stone floor again, having previously risen out of respect at McGonagall's presence. The relief of McGonagall's news washed over them and a smile curled the corners of two of the three mouths.<br>After a moment, Audax on the left who had remained unenthusiastic at McGonagall's visit, let out a small growl at a passing rat whilst Laxus on the right, set his head down on the ground and fell into his usual deep slumber. Laxus' constant resting allowed Audax and Callidus to maintain very alert states of mind, however after the destruction of the Philosopher's Stone only a few weeks prior, the three found themselves not needing to be very attentive at all.  
>Callidus, being the most intelligent and well-spoken of the three, had been the drive to put the plan McGonagall had proposed to them into action. He had talked with Dumbledore and Hagrid about the proposal and after obtaining their approval set his goal to convincing his brothers of the idea.<br>Laxus was easily swayed after promises that his sleep would not be disturbed but Audax was not so keen on the idea.  
><em><br>"It's not right, Callidus. It's wrong, we're like this and that's jus' how it is!"_

"_Dax, it would allow us to live a much more regular and easier life."_

"_Our life is jus' fine the way it is! Why do you trust them? If you hate our life so much then why are you listening to the people that put us here in the first place?"_

"_I trust them because they weren't the ones who did this. You know Hagrid loves us; he wants freedom for us as much as I do. Also, I don't hate our life, Audax I just want more for us than what we have now. That isn't wrong. You should want more for us too."_

"_I'm happy now."_

"_Happy? Dax don't be ridiculous. You can't honestly say you're happy stuck here in this box room. Look out that window there, look at that sky, look at the willow, and look at the smoke dancing out of Hagrid's chimney. It's beautiful. How can you say that you don't want to be able to enjoy all that."_

"_Well why do we have to change? Why can't we jus' go outside now, like this?"_

"_You know why. Look at us, we're huge and we have three heads. Despite our attempts we scare people. We'll fit in better if we follow the plan McGonagall and I have set out."_

"_I'm not happy about this, but if you're set on this I'm not gonna get in yer way."  
><em>  
>That was the best that Callidus could have asked for and with that things were put into motion. Now, as they waited for McGonagall to return, Callidus and Audax found it hard to believe how fast it had come about.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Their pondering was short lived however, as just moments later they were stirred into action by a rather loud, high pitched scream coming from the floor below. Laxus woke with a start and growled at the ground, he didn't like being woken up. Audax growled also, but at the door and made to move towards it, but Callidus stopped him.

"_What do you think you're doing?"_

"_Somethin's wrong Cal, I don't like this."_

"_Dax, its Hogwarts. I'm sure there is a perfectly logical reason for that scream and the last thing Dumbledore needs is for us to be out in the corridors. Plus, if you don't recall, the last time we tried to leave the room it was __YOUR__ head that got stuck in that door."_

"_I bloody know where we are Callidus; I just have a bad feeling. That scream made the hair on my ears stand up."_

Callidus made to argue about how untrue that statement was as obviously if Audax's hair had stood up so would his own, however before he could open his mouth they were interrupted. Shooting up directly from below was a young girl, in her early teens. Her hair was in two neat pigtails tied with matching ribbons, and she was sporting a Slytherin uniform. She seemed like any normal student, except that her hair was lank and lifeless, her uniform was extremely worn looking, she was deathly pale and also notable was the fact she flew in from the ground below. It was all a little obvious that this girl was in fact, dead.  
>As soon as he saw her Laxus began to growl and snarl, having never adjusted to ghosts despite the time he had spent in their midst. Audax reacted less extremely, tensing up and this time his hair actually did stand up. The girl didn't look feared, as clearly she knew they couldn't hurt her, but to reassure her that that wasn't even their intent, Callidus let out a playful woof, an act that earned him a confused look from both of his brothers.<p>

The girl looked at them with the same sour demeanour that she'd had since entering the room, and waited a moment before speaking.

**"Which one of you is Callidus?"**

Callidus raised his head above his brothers, and habitually Dax and Lax lowered their own slightly. The girl looked at him carefully before she opened her lungs in what can only be described as an assault on the eardrums.

**"HOW DARE YOU NOT COME TO SAVE ME? I COULD HAVE BEEN DYING. I COULD HAVE BEEN BEING KILLED AND YOU WOULD NOT DO A THING! WHAT SORT OF HORRID GUARD DOG ARE YOU?"**

With that final ear splitting syllable, as quick as she arrived, she was gone and the brothers looked at each other in complete and utter confusion.


End file.
